Band camp marches in new era

Sara Wright

Tuesday

Jul 27, 2010 at 7:11 PM

A two-week band camp underway at Bluffton High School is giving student musicians a chance to get to know two new band directors.Bluffton High School's new band director Tony Granquist comes from Robert Smalls Middle School, where he taught for five years just out of college.

His goal for his first year at the high school is for the marching band to play at the football games and have students participate in some local competitions.

The marching band is just one component in a comprehensive band program Granquist plans, to include a concert band as well as jazz band.

Bluffton High School students have had four different band directors in four years.

Yet Granquist's arrival coincides with that of Bluffton High School's new hip-hop trombone-playing Principal Mark Deivendorf, and students are upbeat for a whole new groove for the band.

Courtney Walker, a senior clarinetist, is in her third year of band at Bluffton High and serves as drum major.

"I think it's getting better and better," she said of the marching band. "We learned a lot more this morning than in the past."

Walker said she's spreading the word to other student musicians who've drifted away.

"I've been trying to get some of the people who left band to come back," she said. She anticipates a fun year ahead. Marquise Singleton is another senior and a percussionist - also a starting wide receiver on the varsity football team. This is his first year in marching band because the new football coach, Ken Cribbs, is allowing him to balance his passion for football with his passion for music.

"My coach is cool with it," Marquise said.Brandon Athan, a senior trumpet player, said that what makes him keep coming back to band is the social aspect.

"I just like being in band, hanging out with friends," Athan said. He's considering joining jazz band if it comes together, and hopes to continue playing beyond high school.

Granquist said on Monday that students are already doing a great job and are eager to learn.

Students will be playing the music of the band Chicago this year, Granquist said. He chose it because it "sounds cool" and has a great horn line.

Principal Deivendorf enjoyed joining his students in making music at his last job as Jenison High School in Jenison, Mich. Asked Tuesday whether he'd play the trombone with the BLHS band, he said, "I would love to."

He said he hasn't even met the students yet, though, and isn't making any assumptions.

"I typically would wait for an invitation to do so, rather than impose myself on them. At my last building, I'd sit in with the pep band at basketball games. But what I don't like to do is steal the limelight away from the kids, so I like to do it more informally once in a while. Right before I left, they asked me to conduct them one more time, and so I did."

Deivendorf is very aware of how music can add enrichment to the lives of students young and old.

He and his wife, Mary, met in seventh grade band back in junior high and the pair have played together in a band as adults, too.

"While we've been married 31 years, I've known her for over 40. It's a wonderful thing," he said.

Shifts in the middle school bands, too

The new band director at H.E. McCracken Middle School is Karyn Gabbey, who previously taught at Lady's Island Middle School and Whale Branch Middle School as well as teaching strings at Shell Point Elementary and Broad River Elementary schools. She's also working at band camp, as eighth and ninth graders can also participate in the high school marching band.

Any student is welcome to join the band.

"For students who would like to join band but are unable to rent or purchase an instrument, the schools have several instruments for student use, so cost of rental should not be an impediment," said band parent Fran Dobbins.

Gabbey said she would like to build as big a program as possible, working with Granquist, and plans to have concert band students participate in competitions throughout the year. She is also coordinating the all-district band this year, which has not been offered in the district for several years. Auditions will be in November.

Both Granquist and Gabbey will also be responsible for strings programs at their schools.

Veteran band director John Miller will lead the band at the new Bluffton Middle School, and strings teacher Judy Moran will divide her time between Bluffton and Beaufort Middle Schools, as well as area elementary schools.

Contact Sara Wright at 815-0817 or sara.wright@blufftontoday.com

Editor's note: Parent Fran Dobbins contributed to this story.

Band Camp still open

Band Camp runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. this week and next. Any band student in grades eight through 12 is welcome to join. An exhibition will be held on the final day of band camp, Aug. 6.

Band instrument donations welcome

The band can always put instruments to good use. Anyone with an old band instruments gathering dust is invited to donate them to the band program. Contact Tony Granquist at anthony.granquist@beaufort.k12.sc.us

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